North Country Trail Hikers Chapter

We have GPSed our entire section of the North Country National Scenic Trail. Detailed maps, directions to each segment, interesting features, pictures, etc. are available on our Trail Segments page(s) for each segment. See our Events page for details of our activities and events. Everyone is welcome to join us for any event. Contact Lorana Jinkerson, 906-226-6210, ljinkers@sbcglobal.net or Marge Forslin, 906-869-4791, for more information.

The chapter maintains trail in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan beginning east of Marquette at Rock River Road in Alger County and going west past Marquette to Long Lake in the Ottawa National Forest.

Our section of the trail is under intensive development from Rock River Road on the east to the west where the Ottawa National Forest picks up. From Rock River Road to Marquette, "AuTrain Lake to Little Garlic Falls" Map is the guide of choice; from there to Covington, the Michigan Mapset (Johnson) "G" is available. Good county maps are highly recommended in this area, as it will sometimes involve following roundabout forest roads to get from segment to segment. From Rock River Road, it's about 30 miles, sometimes on road, sometimes off, partly through the highly scenic Laughing Whitefish Falls area, until reaching the village of Harvey on the outskirts of Marquette. From Harvey, a six-mile usable bike path follows the shore through Marquette to Presque Isle City Park, north of town.

The general route of the NCT extends through north-central Marquette County. For several years, the NCTA, Sierra Club and the North Country Trail Hikers Club have been working on connecting the Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests on largely private lands. Segments of the trail have been completed in and near Craig Lake State Park and the McCormick Wilderness Area of Ottawa National Forest, and elsewhere, but all the trail yet completed is not yet usable, as some completed segments are one-ended; a usable segment of 30 miles or so in the vicinity of the McCormick Tract and Craig Lake State Park is completed and usable, although out of the way for the through-hiker.

It's possible for the long-distance hiker to follow roads through western Marquette and Baraga Counties to get from Presque Isle City Park to the next usable segment, near Craig Lake State Park, and on to the Ottawa National Forest, but if a user wants to stay close to the planned route of the trail by using forest roads, this is one area where topographic maps are not a bad idea. Virtually all land in this area, with the exception of Craig Lake State Park and the McCormick tract are privately held. For information on the trail in Marquette and Baraga Counties, contact the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter; for Craig Lake State Park, contact the Michigan DNR; and, on the McCormick tract, contact the Forest Supervisor, Ottawa National Forest, East US-2, Ironwood, MI 49938. The segment is covered in maps available from the North Country Trail Store.